Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-19
T. NJ. NORWOOD.
TREASURY DEPNRTMENT. Q. VI. Al
OFtICF CPERvISING ARCHITECT,
ASHINGrON. HIM. Il. lSSI. =

WASHlNGroN, Jau. ID, 1917
Hon. T}omrs v. EOrD,od, n. c., Howse Al
Repyesr7t5f ,1es:
StR-My attention has been called to an
editorial in the SAvANNAH NEWS of Dec
II. 1856. headed, "The Public Building Site"
and hasten 10 write TO you in re erence 10
your action concerning the public building
authorized to be erected in savannah. Ga.
The artrular ground on which you advo-
Gated the bll for this build ny was on &C
CO mt OF the necessity for the United ~ta es
Court 10 have better accommodations than
are at pr sent accorded them IN thu GU tom
house building. This IS the reason gwen 10y
the four JUICES, whose letters were used IN
support of the bill, nd were urged upon the
President to approve tho samo.
Every per-on residing IN the Southern
judicial district OF Georgia is interested in
this building, a to its location. convenience
comfort and fitness; the post office being
matter OF secondary consideration. The
petitions which were rwtrded to this de
partment. and were addressed to he Score
airy Of he TrraSur have been carefully ex-
aminPd, and it is due to you that !
should say that you have not trieI to
Influence this department in favor OF or
against any persons property AS a lite for
this bu lding. The bill you have introduced
for the condemnation of lot Is general in
oh racter, applies to NJ particular lot or lots
and Is int y ded TO facilitate this department
in securing a 'ot, and making progress with
the hui ling in the event IL purcha. e can not
he made by agreement. Tnasmuch as the
Union Society lot has been pressed for accept-
ance, it is only proper for me TO state the Oh
jections t. It, and the reasons why Mr.. An
stert repor' ed against il.
Ii is entirely too narrow go featl for
building as viii be nee sIrv to meet the re-
quirement', fifty years hence, in the CITY Of
savannah. State street is 50 narrow that the
building would have to be set bnck to get the
required forty fe i 4"l from other buildings
which Is required by the act. anG to do this
and get the proper width for suit able, com
mOdious and well-lropOrtipned hui ding en-
croachment would necessarily nave to he
made on President street. which would lie OBJ
jectio able. However, t secure the proper
width by ia ing par of Pre-idcnt :, rect, the
building would be advanced TOO near to III,
building immediately south which j. use as a
storeho' 81, stored with PAINS, nils, etc and
would imrerii the safet of the bull ing and
the public records of the courts IN case of fire
The main objection to the pr sent court
room, evid nces of which have piled ND since
the pas sage OF the act authorizing the cree
tion of "A new burGipg. is the constant noise
from draYs and wagons. The UniOu Society
lot has two street railways. one On the al
which would he Immediately under the east
en-" of the building. and the other on the west
not more than 81 feet from the west end
In view OF these facts it oes not seem to he
the part of wi dom to eXpend two hundred
thousand do lars $500, 000) TO change the court
room from one noisy locality to another. or to
remove all the court records from place of
safety to one of great danger from fire, or to
select a lot that is, confessedly, nOt az com
modious and suitable as others that can be
obtained. Respectfully yours
NJ. K, BELL, Supervising Architect.